HALE ARENA THIS WEEKEND. THIS IS PEEPS OURSELF WITH KIND OF A CELEBRITY. SHE AND HER HANDLER AMY HARSH CAME FROM GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA. HOPING TO BE CROWNED TOP DAWG IN CASEY BEING A BREEDER HANDLER IT YOU TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE PERSONALLY AND WHAT YOU DO YEARS OF DEDICATION AND TRAINING GO INTO THIS MOMENT. JUST LIKE A FINE-TUNED ATHLETE THEY THAT YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THEM. I MEAN, THERE’S EXERCISE AND IT’S A DIET AND OBVIOUSLY COKE CARE MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS ARE HOPING IT PAYS OFF AT THE HEART OF AMERICA AND LEAVENWORTH. OLD CLUB DOG SHOWS AT HEY LORENA, THERE ARE DOGS HERE FROM 40 STATES PLUS CANADA AND OTHER COUNTRIES FOREIGN COUNTRIES FOR SOME IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO’VE MAYBE THIRD GENERATION SHOWING AND BREEDING GOD’S THAT’S HOW JUNIOR HANDLER BEVINTEL GOT INVOLVED WHEN I WAS NINE WHEN EVER I WON MY MOM WOULD GET ME ICE CREAM AND I’M LIKE, THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER AND THEN OVER TIME. I JUST ENJOYED IT BECAUSE OF THE ANIMALS AND HE SEEMS TO HAVE A KNACK FOR IT. I W BEST JUNIOR WINNING IS NICE, BUT IN DOGS IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST AWARDS. IT’S A CULTURE. IT’S VERY FAMILY-ORIENTED HERE AND YOU MEET FRIENDS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AND EVERY SHOW SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD YOU HANG OUT AND YOU C

Years of dedication and training go into preparing for an event like one being hosted at Kansas City’s Hale Arena this weekend.“Just like a fine-tuned athlete, you have to prepare for them,” said Amy Harsch. “I mean, there’s exercise, and it’s a diet and obviously coat care.”Harsch is talking about her dog, Peeps. She and Peeps came to Kansas City from Grand Island, Nebraska, hoping to be crowned top dog at the Heart of America & Leavenworth Kennel Club Dog Show. “Being a breeder-handler, you take a lot of pride, personally, in what you do,” Harsch said. More than 1,000 dogs and their handlers are hoping their training will pay off in the weekend event.“There are dogs here from 40 states, plus Canada and other foreign countries,” said Show Chairman Julie Lux.For some, it’s a family affair.“There are people here who are maybe third generation showing and breeding dogs,” Lux said.That’s how junior handler Bevin Towel got involved. “When I was 9, whenever I went, my mom would get me ice cream and I was like, ‘This is the best thing ever,’ and then over time, I just enjoyed it because of the animals,” Towel said. Towel seems to have a knack for it. He won best junior handler while we were at Hale Arena.Winning is nice, handlers say, but showing dogs is about more than just awards.“It’s a culture,” Harsch said. “It’s very family-oriented here, and you meet friends from across the country, and every show somewhere down the road, you hang out and you cheer each other on.”The dog shows are happening all weekend at Hale Arena in the West Bottoms. The events are free to the public. You can check everything out through Sunday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here for more information.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Years of dedication and training go into preparing for an event like one being hosted at Kansas City’s Hale Arena this weekend.

“Just like a fine-tuned athlete, you have to prepare for them,” said Amy Harsch. “I mean, there’s exercise, and it’s a diet and obviously coat care.”

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Harsch is talking about her dog, Peeps. She and Peeps came to Kansas City from Grand Island, Nebraska, hoping to be crowned top dog at the Heart of America & Leavenworth Kennel Club Dog Show.

“Being a breeder-handler, you take a lot of pride, personally, in what you do,” Harsch said.

More than 1,000 dogs and their handlers are hoping their training will pay off in the weekend event.

“There are dogs here from 40 states, plus Canada and other foreign countries,” said Show Chairman Julie Lux.

For some, it’s a family affair.

“There are people here who are maybe third generation showing and breeding dogs,” Lux said.

That’s how junior handler Bevin Towel got involved.

“When I was 9, whenever I went, my mom would get me ice cream and I was like, ‘This is the best thing ever,’ and then over time, I just enjoyed it because of the animals,” Towel said.

Towel seems to have a knack for it. He won best junior handler while we were at Hale Arena.

Winning is nice, handlers say, but showing dogs is about more than just awards.

“It’s a culture,” Harsch said. “It’s very family-oriented here, and you meet friends from across the country, and every show somewhere down the road, you hang out and you cheer each other on.”

The dog shows are happening all weekend at Hale Arena in the West Bottoms. The events are free to the public. You can check everything out through Sunday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here for more information.